grabbed his daughter, pushing her behind him and saying, âYou stay away from the likes of him.â Tanner should have understood how unwelcome he was at that point, but heâd persisted until both Jenny and Mr. Rosneau had made it abundantly clear with more than words.
At the reminder of that humiliation, he pulled his senses back where they belongedâin his head. âNo beets?â
âOh, yeah. Beets, too.â
âSounds fine. What are you starting with?â
âPeas. Lots of peas.â
He dug a trench along the taut cord and she followed, bent over at the waist as she dropped pea seeds in the trench.
âCan we help?â Liz asked. Her brothers and sister stood behind her waiting for his answer.
âYou certainly can.â He moved the twine and dug another trench. He got pea seeds and gave some to each of the children, set them at various places along the row and showed them how to carefully drop in the seeds. They all bent over, intent on the task.
He lifted his eyes to see Susanne watching him.
Her gaze shifted to the children and her expression hardened.
He tried to think what it meant, but he could only find confusion in his thoughts. Sheâd agreed to let him help, but he sensed a reluctance in her. Because of who he was? Or rather what he was?
Seeing she had almost reached the end of her row, he moved the string and dug another trench. The whole time he avoided looking directly at her, trying to keep his thoughts in order.
He quickly filled in her row, checked the childrenâs row and covered it, as well.
Susanne straightened to look at what sheâd completed, but when she took a step backward, she stumbled on a lump of dirt and fell on her rump. Her breath whooshed from her.
He dropped his hoe, prepared to run to her rescue, but he forced his feet to remain where they were. Not everyone would welcome a hand up from a half-breed.
Her burst of laughter froze him to the spot.
She jumped to her feet, dusted her skirts and laughed again. âThat will teach me to watch where Iâm going.â
The children clustered about her.
âAre you okay?â Liz asked, her voice full of concern.
She gathered them in a group hug. âIâm fine.
Robbie broke free. âAunt Susanne, show us how to watch where youâre going when you go backward.â
She laughed again. âI canât show you âcause I canât do it.â Her gaze hit Tanner. Her eyes danced with happiness and pleasure in these children, and perhaps in life in general.
He thought he was frozen in place before. Now it threatened to become a permanent state. What would it be like to be part of such joy and acceptance? Then he stopped himself. His family accepted him. It was all he needed.
Susanne looked away, shifting her attention back to the children. âI see youâre done with your row. What shall we plant next?â She led them to the stack of seeds and offered them their choice.
His body remembered how to work and he covered in the rows and moved the stakes.
âThey decided on beets,â she declared.
âI like beets,â he said. âYou ever make beet pickles? Maisie, thatâs my stepmother, makes great beet pickles. They taste mighty fine in the middle of winter. So spicy sweet.â He rattled on like a loose wagon wheel, but he couldnât seem to stop. It beat staring at her as if heâd lost his senses.
âAuntie Susanne, you ever make beet pickles?â Janie asked. âThey sound good.â
âThey do, indeed. Maybe Tanner will ask his stepmother to give me her recipe.â She faced him with an expression of horror. âIâm sorry. I should have said Mr. Harding.â
It was his turn to enjoy a laugh. âThink I already said Mr. Harding is my pa, though most people call him Big Sam. I prefer you call me Tanner.â
She nodded, lowered her gaze, then slowly brought it back to his. âIâd be
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